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NBA Says Wednesday’s Games Will Be Rescheduled; Players To Discuss Next Steps

August 26th, 2020 at 4:23pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA has announced in a press release that all three Game Fives scheduled to take place on Wednesday have been postponed and will be rescheduled.

Bucks players led a boycott of this afternoon’s game against the Magic, with the Thunder, Rockets, Trail Blazers, and Lakers quickly deciding to follow suit. The protests stem from a desire to raise awareness of social and racial injustices and enact change, and come in response to the recent police shooting of Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (via Twitter), the NBA, team owners, and front offices didn’t see today’s wave of player boycotts coming — as a few hours ago, they expected all of today’s games to take place.

NBA players have called a meeting for Wednesday night in Orlando to discuss and determine potential next steps, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

As Chris Mannix of SI.com notes (via Twitter), some teams – including the Raptors – have discussed the possibility of leaving the bubble altogether. Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe (Twitter link) hears that the Raptors and Celtics are leaning toward not playing Game 1 of their second-round series on Thursday.

Thunder, Rockets, Lakers, Blazers To Boycott Wednesday’s Games

August 26th, 2020 at 3:56pm CST by Luke Adams

In the wake of the Bucks’ decision to boycott Game 5 of their first-round playoff series against the Magic, the Thunder and Rockets will follow suit and boycott Game 5 of their series this evening, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter).

The Lakers and Trail Blazers, who were scheduled to play Game 5 of their series later tonight, are also boycotting, according to Charania (via Twitter). Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports first reported (via Twitter) that Portland and L.A. were leaning toward not playing tonight’s game.

The protests are a response to the recent police shooting of Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man, in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

The Raptors and Celtics, who are scheduled to play Game 1 of their second-round series on Thursday, had been the first teams to broach the topic of a boycott. Raptors guard Fred VanVleet explained the thinking behind the idea to reporters earlier this week.

“We knew coming here or not coming here was not going to stop anything, but I think ultimately playing or not playing puts pressure on somebody,” VanVleet said, per Malika Andrews and Tim Bontemps of eSPN. “So, for example, this happened in Kenosha, Wisconsin, if I’m correct? Would it be nice if, in a perfect world, we all say we’re not playing, and the owner of the Milwaukee Bucks — that’s going to trickle down. If he steps up to the plate and puts pressure on the district attorney’s office, and state’s attorney, and governors, and politicians there to make real change and get some justice.

“I know it’s not that simple. But, at the end of the day, if we’re gonna sit here and talk about making change, then at some point we’re gonna have to put our nuts on the line and actually put something up to lose, rather than just money or visibility.”

Bringing attention to social justice issues and systemic racism was among the players’ primary goals when they agreed to the NBA’s restart plan this summer. However, in the wake of the latest shooting of a Black man by police, a number of players felt as if their efforts to raise awareness and enact change were being overshadowed by on-court results and have decided to change their tactics.

Lillard Unlikely To Return Even If Blazers Extend Series

August 25th, 2020 at 4:56pm CST by Luke Adams

Meanwhile, Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard, who has already been ruled out for Game 5 due to a right knee sprain, is unlikely to return this series even if Portland can extend it by a game or two, tweets Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. According to Haynes, Lillard is currently unable to extend his right leg.

Damian Lillard To Miss Game 5 Due To Knee Sprain

August 25th, 2020 at 3:44pm CST by Luke Adams

After undergoing a second MRI on Tuesday, star guard Damian Lillard has been diagnosed with a right knee sprain and will miss Game 5 against the Lakers on Wednesday, the Trail Blazers announced today (Twitter link).

With the Lakers holding a 3-1 lead over Portland in the first-round series, it’s possible we won’t see Lillard return to action again this season — the Blazers figure to be significant underdogs on Wednesday with Lillard out and backcourt mate CJ McCollum still playing through a fracture in his back.

Lillard has been one of the NBA’s standout players since the season resumed in July. He earned bubble MVP honors by averaging 37.6 PPG and 9.6 APG on .497/.436/.888 shooting in the Blazers’ eight seeding games, then led the team to a win over Memphis in the Western Conference play-in game. However, after claiming the No. 8 seed and upsetting the Lakers in Game 1, Portland has seemed to run out of gas.

Following his scorching-hot start this summer, Lillard has slowed down over the last three games, which can be attributed at least in part to health issues. Before injuring his knee in Game 4, the All-Star guard dislocated his left index finger in Game 2.

With Lillard unavailable, the Blazers figure to lean more heavily on Anfernee Simons and Gary Trent Jr. One of the two guards figures to replace Lillard in the starting lineup.

Lillard To Get Second MRI On Knee; Davis’ Back “Doing Fine”

August 25th, 2020 at 9:25am CST by Luke Adams

Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard left Monday’s blowout loss to the Lakers in the third quarter due to a right knee injury and didn’t return, undergoing an MRI after the game. However, according to the team, the results of that MRI were inconclusive, and Lillard will undergo a second MRI on Tuesday afternoon (Twitter link).

Lillard was already banged up, dealing with a dislocated left finger as he tries to lead the Blazers to a first-round upset over the top-seeded Lakers. However, with Portland now facing a 3-1 deficit and the All-Star guard battling a knee issue as well, it will be interesting to see whether he suits up for Game 5 on Wednesday. While Lillard will surely do all he can to play, the Blazers are now an extreme long shot and it may be in their best long-term interests to play it safe with their franchise player.

Meanwhile, an All-Star on the other side of the court also left Monday’s game and didn’t return, as Lakers big man Anthony Davis was said to be dealing with back spasms. Davis downplayed the injury after the game though, telling reporters that his back “is doing fine,” per Dave McMenamin of ESPN.

For now, it doesn’t sound as if Davis’ availability for Game 5 is in jeopardy. If he plays as effectively on Wednesday as he did in Game 4, when he was a +37 in just 18 minutes, the Lakers can afford to reduce his minutes a little.

Heavy Burden Is Beginning To Wear On Jusuf Nurkic

August 23rd, 2020 at 11:02am CST by Arthur Hill

The strain of returning to a high-pressure environment 17 months after suffering a compound fracture in his leg is beginning to show on Trail Blazers center Jusuf Nurkic, observes Anthony Slater of The Athletic. Players are usually brought along slowly after such a serious injury, but Nurkic is being asked to log heavy minutes in a playoff setting. Slater notes that an injury to Zach Collins and a lack of production from Hassan Whiteside leaves Portland with no other options.

Zach Collins To Undergo Ankle Surgery, Done For Season

August 21st, 2020 at 4:24pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Starting Trail Blazers power forward Zach Collins will undergo surgery for a stress reaction in his left ankle and has been ruled out for the remainder of the 2019/20 season, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. Collins was originally expected to be re-examined next week, but it seems the team decided to address his injury immediately.

Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports clarifies that the Collins injury is officially a hairline medial malleolus stress fracture (Twitter link).

After a surprise 100-93 victory in the first game of their 1-8 quarterfinals matchup with the Lakers, the Trail Blazers fell 111-88 to Los Angeles yesterday, tying the series at 1-1. Collins missed both contests, with rookie power forward Wenyen Gabriel starting in his stead.

This is certainly a blow for the Trail Blazers’ hopes of scoring a historic first round playoff upset against the Lakers, though it is not unfamiliar territory for the team this year. Collins missed most of Portland’s season with a left shoulder injury that kept him sidelined for all but 11 games of the Blazers’ regular season and Orlando campus seeding games.

The Blazers signed 17-year veteran Carmelo Anthony to replace Collins in November. During the season restart, Anthony shifted to the team’s starting small forward position after Trevor Ariza opted to sit out of the Disney World campus due to health concerns. Anthony may see more time at the power forward slot in the series going forward.

In Collins’ absence, the Blazers have also experimented with ultra-big lineups to counter the Lakers’ size during their series, occasionally playing centers Jusuf Nurkic and Hassan Whiteside together.

Damian Lillard Dislocates Finger, Plans To Play In Game 3

August 21st, 2020 at 10:30am CST by Arthur Hill

Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard dislocated his left index finger in last night’s loss to the Lakers, but he insists he’ll be ready when the series resumes Saturday, writes Baxter Holmes of ESPN.

“Oh, I’m playing,” Lillard said after the game, later adding, “It’s just sore. A little bit tender to the touch.”

The injury occurred in the third quarter when Lillard tried to slap the ball away from Anthony Davis, who was driving to the basket. He was taken out of the game, which L.A. was leading handily at the time, and didn’t return. X-rays showed there was no break.

Lillard told reporters this is the first time he has dislocated a finger, and he tried to pull it back into place before receiving medical attention.

“[The staff] had to put it back for me, and at that point, I thought it was broken,” Lillard said. “I was just frustrated because I had to go back and get it looked at. I was just frustrated. It was just bad timing. I handle the ball a lot, so just knowing there’s going to be some discomfort, I don’t know how that’s going to feel or how that’s going to go. It’s frustrating. That’s all it was.”

Lillard has been spectacular since arriving at the Disney World complex, helping the Blazers rise out of a pack of contenders to claim the eighth seed in the West. He has averaged 36.6 PPG in Orlando and was a unanimous choice for MVP of the seeding games.

2020 NBA Draft Picks By Team

August 21st, 2020 at 8:42am CST by Luke Adams

In addition to claiming the top three spots in the 2020 NBA draft based on this year’s lottery results, the Timberwolves, Warriors, and Hornets are three of eight teams that will own more than two draft picks this fall.

As our full 2020 draft order shows, the Sixers lead the way with five picks, while the Kings, Pelicans, and Celtics have four apiece. Like Minnesota, Golden State, and Charlotte, the Knicks also hold three selections. On the other end of the spectrum, the Rockets are the only team without a 2020 draft pick.

To present a clearer picture of which teams are most – and least – stocked with picks for the 2020 NBA draft, we’ve rounded up all 60 picks by team in the space below. Let’s dive in…

Teams with more than two picks:

Philadelphia 76ers (5): 21, 34, 36, 49, 58
Sacramento Kings (4): 12, 35, 43, 52
New Orleans Pelicans (4): 13, 39, 42, 60
Boston Celtics (4): 14, 26, 30, 47
Minnesota Timberwolves (3): 1, 17, 33
Golden State Warriors (3): 2, 48, 51
Charlotte Hornets (3): 3, 32, 56
New York Knicks (3): 8, 27, 38

Teams with two picks:

Chicago Bulls: 4, 44
Atlanta Hawks: 6, 50
Washington Wizards: 9, 37
San Antonio Spurs: 11, 41
Orlando Magic: 15, 45
Portland Trail Blazers: 16, 46
Dallas Mavericks: 18, 31
Brooklyn Nets: 19, 55
Oklahoma City Thunder: 25, 53
Toronto Raptors: 29, 59

Teams with one pick:

Cleveland Cavaliers: 5
Detroit Pistons: 7
Phoenix Suns: 10
Miami Heat: 20
Denver Nuggets: 22
Utah Jazz: 23
Milwaukee Bucks: 24
Los Angeles Lakers: 28
Memphis Grizzlies: 40
Indiana Pacers: 54
Los Angeles Clippers: 57

Teams with no picks:

Houston Rockets

Zach Collins Has Stress Reaction In Ankle

August 19th, 2020 at 4:15pm CST by Arthur Hill

An MRI conducted today on Trail Blazers forward Zach Collins revealed a Malleolar stress reaction in his left ankle, tweets Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. His condition will be re-evaluated in a week.

Collins missed Game 1 of Portland’s playoff series with the Lakers because of what was believed to be inflammation in the ankle. Wenyen Gabriel took his place in the starting lineup and produced four points, three rebounds and three assists in nearly 16 minutes.

The NBA’s restart provided a fresh opportunity for Collins, who missed most of the season after having surgery on his left shoulder. He played in all eight seeding games, averaging 6.3 points and 7.1 rebounds per night.